Catch Me If You Can
The brief
Spielberg turns Frank Abagnale's audacious con artist story into a surprisingly light-hearted cat-and-mouse game that breezes through its 141 minutes like a charm offensive. DiCaprio is perfectly cast as the baby-faced grifter whose lies snowball into increasingly elaborate schemes, while Hanks brings his everyman decency to the FBI agent who becomes obsessed with catching him. The whole thing has this buoyant, almost nostalgic energy that makes you root for both sides of the chase, even when you know Frank's house of cards has to collapse eventually. Perfect for anyone who loved The Sting or wants Ocean's Eleven but with actual emotional stakes.
The verdict
If you enjoy stylish caper films with charismatic leads and prefer your crime stories served with wit rather than grit, this is Spielberg at his most entertaining. If you're looking for hard-edged realism or get impatient with longer runtimes, the breezy tone and 141-minute length might feel too fluffy and drawn out.
Watch with
- 👫 Perfect date night or friends movie
- 👨👩👧👦 Great for family viewing with teens
- ⚠️ May be slow for very young kids
Heads up
- Parents' divorce and family breakdown (moderate)
- Brief mentions of prostitution (brief)
- Some mild language and drinking (brief)
Credits
- Director
- Steven Spielberg
- Cast
- Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Christopher Walken, Martin Sheen, Nathalie Baye, Amy Adams, James Brolin
Official synopsis
A true story about Frank Abagnale Jr. who, before his 19th birthday, successfully conned millions of dollars
The Double
Make a night of it
Pair this with The Master (2012)
Both showcase brilliant con artists and the cat-and-mouse psychology between them.
Total runtime: 2h 21m + 2h 17m = 4h 38m
